Kitchenhand/Cleaning/Laundry

St Mary's Aged Care is looking for Cleaning and Kitchenhand staff to join our excellent team.

St Mary's prides itself on providing a wide variety of freshly cooked meals and snacks, as well as clean/fresh cleaning and laundry services.  Applicants need to be hard working and have a willingness to provide quality services to our Residents.

At St Mary's our staff understand the importance of working together as team and provide good quality services to our Resident's

Full training will be provided in our supportive team environment. We are looking for positive individuals who have a willingness to learn new skills. We will provide paid buddy shifts and then a set roster of a minimum of 3 shifts per week moving forward. References are essential.

NO VACCINE REQUIRED

Cleaner/Laundry Key Responsibilities:

As a Cleaner in our aged care facility, you will be a vital part of the care team. Your responsibilities will include:

• General Cleaning: Daily cleaning of resident rooms, bathrooms, communal areas, staff offices, and hallways – including sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, and dusting.
• Toilet and Hygiene Cleaning: Thorough cleaning and disinfection of toilets and bathrooms, including handling and cleaning areas affected by faecal matter or bodily fluids.
• Kitchen Cleaning: Cleaning of kitchen and food prep areas, including benches, appliances, dishwashing zones, and floors – maintaining strict food safety and hygiene standards.
• Laundry Support: Assisting with laundry tasks such as washing, folding, and distributing linen and resident clothing as needed.
• Room Cleaning: Performing deep cleans of resident rooms after discharges or room moves, ensuring rooms are ready for new residents.
• Contact Precaution Set-Up & Cleaning: Preparing and cleaning rooms for residents requiring contact precautions due to infectious conditions. This includes:
• Using appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
• Setting up isolation signage and equipment (gloves, gowns, masks, sanitiser)
• Following strict infection control procedures when entering and exiting rooms
• Cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces and equipment to prevent cross-contamination
• Ad Hoc & Emergency Cleaning: Responding promptly to spills, accidents, and other urgent cleaning needs.

Kitchenhand Key Responsibilities:

As a Kitchen Hand in our aged care facility, your duties will include:

• Food Preparation Assistance: Supporting the chef and kitchen team in preparing meals, including chopping, portioning, and plating food.
• Diet-Specific Support: Assisting with the preparation and delivery of texture-modified diets (e.g. soft, minced, or pureed), as per individual resident requirements.
• Dishwashing and Cleaning: Operating dishwashers, hand-washing items as needed, and ensuring all kitchen utensils, plates, and equipment are cleaned and sanitised.
• Maintaining Cleanliness: Ensuring all kitchen surfaces, floors, benches, and equipment are cleaned regularly and meet hygiene standards.
• Waste Management: Disposing of kitchen waste appropriately, including food scraps and recycling, in line with facility guidelines.
• Stocking and Storage: Assisting with the unpacking and storage of food deliveries, checking expiry dates, and maintaining correct storage temperatures.
• Food Safety & Infection Control: Following all food safety regulations and infection control procedures, including the correct use of PPE, hand hygiene, and avoiding cross-contamination.
• Meal Service Support: Assisting with plating and distributing meals to residents, and collecting used dishes and trays after meals.
• Fast-Paced Environment: Working efficiently to meet strict meal service times while maintaining cleanliness and safety standards.

What we are looking for:

• National Police Certificate or willing to obtain
• Experience in a cleaning role (preferably in healthcare or aged care).
• Understanding of infection control, hygiene standards, and PPE use.
• Confidence in managing challenging cleaning tasks, including faecal clean-up and isolation room procedures.
• A calm, respectful, and compassionate approach when working around elderly and vulnerable individuals.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Previous experience as a kitchen hand, preferably in aged care, health care, or a commercial kitchen environment.
• Understanding of food safety standards.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, physically demanding role with high attention to detail.
• Compassion and respect when working in an environment supporting elderly and vulnerable residents.
• Good communication skills and ability to work as part of a team.